Bradford 2 [Rowe 5, Cooke 49]

Barrow 1 [Quigley 37 (P)]

BARROW were the architects of their own downfall as early goals in each half condemned them to a 2-1 defeat at Bradford.

Danny Rowe opened the scoring to mark his home debut in style.

Centre-back Anthony O’Connor fouled Scott Quigley in the box and handed the Bluebirds a lifeline with the striker bagging his fifth goal in seven games.

But Callum Cooke struck after the break to ensure Bradford’s new management duo are yet to taste defeat.

Michael Jolley’s battling Barrow remain just two points above the relegation zone, but crucially have two games in hand.

Barrow boss Jolley made three changes from his side’s last game a fortnight ago. Ollie Banks, Tom Davies and Bobby Thomas were all handed full debuts, while new recruits Jamie Devitt, Dan Bramall and Dion Donohue were all included on the bench.

Former Bantams player Chris Taylor was also one of the Bluebirds’ subs on their visit to Valley Parade.

O’Connor forced a smart save from keeper Joel Dixon in only the second minute of the game as the home side made a promising start.

And that early pressure told as the Bantams took a welcome lead just three minutes later when Rowe rifled into the bottom left corner with a rasping left-foot drive.

The hosts created another good chance in the 11th minute but Cooke was denied a goal by a fine save from Dixon, the shot-stopper in the thick of the action in the early exchanges.

Barrow were feeling the pressure on the quarter hour mark and came close to conceding again when Paudie O’Connor powered a header just wide from an inch-perfect cross from Elliott Watt.

Banks had Barrow’s first chance midway through the half, but he headed over from Burton loanee Neal Eardley’s pin-point cross.

The visitors were growing in confidence and Quigley smashed a shot just wide from an acute angle as the contest opened up.

And the equaliser came eight minutes before the break after Quigley was felled by O’Connor. The striker made no mistake from the spot.

But parity didn’t last long in the second half as the visitors were once again caught napping early in the half.

Cooke restored the hosts’ lead with a well-taken finish to convert Watts’ drilled cross from inside the box four minutes after the restart.

The Bantams continued to pile on the pressure as Connor Wood fired just wide of the post after a promising run.

Bluebirds’ stopper Dixon did well to claim a Watts’ corner to avoid any danger.

Bramall and former Carlisle boy Devitt came on for their debuts as Jolley searched for a late leveller.

But it was Dixon who was tested as he got down low to deny dangerous Rowe a second.

Debutant Thomas squandered a great chance as he nodded Eardley’s teasing cross over the bar.

Quigley was agonisingly denied a late leveller when his effort was blocked after Devitt knocked down into his path.